2024 Annual Information Form (pa e q424 2024 aif) - Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet

InsuranceNewsNet — Your Industry. One Source.™

Sign in
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Home Now reading Reinsurance
Topics
    • Advisor News
    • Annuity Index
    • Annuity News
    • Companies
    • Earnings
    • Fiduciary
    • From the Field: Expert Insights
    • Health/Employee Benefits
    • Insurance & Financial Fraud
    • INN Magazine
    • Insiders Only
    • Life Insurance News
    • Newswires
    • Property and Casualty
    • Regulation News
    • Sponsored Articles
    • Washington Wire
    • Videos
    • ———
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Contact
    • Editorial Staff
    • Newsletters
  • Exclusives
  • NewsWires
  • Magazine
  • Newsletters
Sign in or register to be an INNsider.
  • AdvisorNews
  • Annuity News
  • Companies
  • Earnings
  • Fiduciary
  • Health/Employee Benefits
  • Insurance & Financial Fraud
  • INN Exclusives
  • INN Magazine
  • Insurtech
  • Life Insurance News
  • Newswires
  • Property and Casualty
  • Regulation News
  • Sponsored Articles
  • Video
  • Washington Wire
  • Life Insurance
  • Annuities
  • Advisor
  • Health/Benefits
  • Property & Casualty
  • Insurtech
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Editorial Staff

Get Social

  • Facebook
  • X
  • LinkedIn
Life Insurance News
Reinsurance RSS Get our newsletter
Order Prints
February 12, 2025 Reinsurance
Share
Share
Tweet
Email

2024 Annual Information Form (pa e q424 2024 aif)

U.S. Markets via PUBT

Annual Information Form

Sun Life Financial Inc.

For the Year Ended December 31, 2024

February 12, 2025

Annual Information Form 2024

Table of Contents

Management's

Consolidated

Annual

Financial

Discussion &

Statements and

Information Form

Analysis(1)

Notes(1)

Corporate Structure

3

Development of the Business

3

Section B

Business of Sun Life

5

Section B

Financial Performance

Section B

Notes 8 - 13

Investments

Section I

Note 5

Risk Management

Section K

Note 6

Capital Structure

8

Section J

Note 20

Dividends

11

Section J

Note 14

Security Ratings

11

Section F

Transfer Agents and Registrar

14

Directors and Executive Officers

14

Code of Conduct

18

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

19

Interests of Experts

20

Regulatory Matters

20

Section B

Risk Factors

32

Section K

Notes 6-7

Legal and Regulatory Proceedings

33

Additional Information

33

Appendix A - Charter of the Audit Committee

34

  1. As indicated, parts of the Company's MD&A, consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2024 are incorporated by reference in this AIF. The 2024 MD&A (as defined below) and the 2024 Consolidated Financial Statements (as defined below) may be accessed atwww.sedarplus.caand www.sec.gov, respectively.

Sun Life Financial Inc. | sunlife.com

1

Annual Information Form 2024

The following defined terms are used in this document.

Abbreviation

Description

Abbreviation

Description

AIF

Annual Information Form

OSFI

Office of the Superintendent of Financial

Institutions, Canada

Board

The Board of Directors of SLF Inc.

SEC

United States Securities and Exchange

Commission

IFRS

International Financial Reporting Standards

Sun Life

Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada

Assurance

LICAT

Life Insurance Capital Adequacy Test

SLF Inc.

Sun Life Financial Inc.

MD&A

Management's Discussion & Analysis

Superintendent

The Superintendent under the Office of the

Superintendent of Financial Institutions Act

NAIC

National Association of Insurance

Commissioners, United States

Presentation of Information

In this AIF, SLF Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries are collectively referred to as "Sun Life", the "Company", "we", "us" or "our" and also includes, where applicable, our joint ventures and associates.

Unless otherwise indicated, all information in this AIF is presented as at and for the year ended December 31, 2024, and amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars. Financial information is presented in accordance with IFRS and the accounting requirements of OSFI.

Documents Incorporated by Reference

The following documents are incorporated by reference in and form part of this AIF:

  1. SLF Inc.'s MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2024 (our "2024 MD&A"), and
  2. SLF Inc.'s Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2024 (our "2024 Consolidated Financial Statements").

These documents have been filed with securities regulators in Canada and with the SEC and may be accessed at www.sedarplus.caand www.sec.gov, respectively.

Forward-looking Statements

From time to time, the Company makes written or oral forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws, including the "safe harbour" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities legislation. Certain statements in this AIF and the documents incorporated by reference herein including, (i) statements relating to our strategies, (ii) statements that are predictive in nature, (iii) statements that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and (iv) statements that include words such as "achieve", "aim", "ambition", "anticipate", "aspiration", "assumption", "believe", "continue", "could", "estimate", "expect", "goal", "initiatives", "intend", "may", "objective", "outlook", "plan", "potential", "project", "seek", "should", "strategy", "strive", "target", "will" and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include information concerning our possible or assumed future results of operations. These statements represent our current expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events and are not historical facts, and remain subject to change. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Future results and shareholder value may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements due to, among other factors, the matters set out in this AIF under the heading Risk Factors and in our annual MD&A under the heading Forward-Looking Statements, and the factors detailed in our annual and interim financial statements and other filings with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators, which are available for review at www.sedarplus.caand www.sec.gov, respectively.

Important risk factors that could cause our assumptions and estimates, and expectations and projections to be inaccurate and our actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this document, are set out below. The realization of our forward-looking statements essentially depends on our business performance which, in turn, is subject to many risks. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, but are not limited to: market risks - related to the performance of equity markets; changes or volatility in interest rates or credit spreads or swap spreads; real estate investments; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; and inflation; insurance risks - related to mortality experience, morbidity experience and longevity; policyholder behaviour; product design and pricing; the impact of higher-than-expected future expenses; and the availability, cost and effectiveness of reinsurance; credit risks - related to issuers of securities held in our investment portfolio, debtors, structured securities, reinsurers, counterparties, other financial institutions and other entities; business and strategic risks - related to global economic and geopolitical conditions; the design and implementation of business strategies; changes in distribution channels or Client behaviour including risks relating to market conduct by intermediaries and agents; the impact of competition; the performance of our investments and investment portfolios managed for Clients such as segregated and mutual funds; shifts in investing trends and Client preference towards products that differ from our investment products and strategies; changes in the legal or regulatory environment, including capital requirements and tax laws; environmental and social issues and their

Sun Life Financial Inc. | sunlife.com

2

Annual Information Form 2024

related laws and regulations; operational risks - related to breaches or failure of information system security and privacy, including cyber-attacks; our ability to attract and retain employees; legal, regulatory compliance and market conduct, including the impact of regulatory inquiries and investigations; the execution and integration of mergers, acquisitions, strategic investments and divestitures; our information technology infrastructure; a failure of information systems and Internet-enabled technology; dependence on third-party relationships, including outsourcing arrangements; business continuity; model errors; information management; liquidity risks - the possibility that we will not be able to fund all cash outflow commitments as they fall due; and other risks - changes to accounting standards in the jurisdictions in which we operate; risks associated with our international operations, including our joint ventures; market conditions that affect our capital position or ability to raise capital; downgrades in financial strength or credit ratings; and tax matters, including estimates and judgments used in calculating taxes.

The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

Corporate Structure

SLF Inc. was incorporated under the Insurance Companies Act, Canada (the "Insurance Act") on August 5, 1999, to become the holding company of Sun Life Assurance in connection with the demutualization of Sun Life Assurance.

Sun Life Assurance was incorporated in 1865 as a stock insurance company and was converted into a mutual insurance company in 1962. On March 22, 2000, Sun Life Assurance implemented a plan of demutualization under which it converted back to a stock company pursuant to Letters Patent of Conversion issued under the Insurance Act. Under this plan of demutualization, Sun Life Assurance became a wholly-owned subsidiary of SLF Inc.

The head and registered office of SLF Inc. is located at 1 York Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 0B6.

SLF Inc. conducts its business worldwide through direct and indirect operating subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates. SLF Inc.'s principal subsidiaries are included in the subsidiaries listed in SLF Inc.'s annual report and that list of subsidiaries is incorporated herein by reference. That list includes the percentage of voting shares owned by SLF Inc., directly or indirectly, and where those companies are incorporated, continued, formed or organized. SLF Inc.'s current annual report is accessible on www.sedarplus.ca, www.sec.govand www.sunlife.com.

We manage our operations and report our financial results in five business segments: Asset Management, Canada, United States ("U.S."), Asia and Corporate.

Development of the Business

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom ("UK"), Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of December 31, 2024, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1.54 trillion.

Three Year History: Acquisitions, Disposals, and Other Developments

We assess our businesses and corporate strategies on an ongoing basis to ensure that we make optimal use of our capital and maximize shareholder value. The following summary outlines our major acquisitions, dispositions and other developments over the past three years across our business segments. Additional information is provided in Note 3 to SLF Inc.'s

2024 Consolidated Financial Statements.

Asset Management

On August 22, 2024, we acquired the remaining 20% interest in InfraRed Capital Partners ("lnfraRed"). Since our initial acquisition of the majority stake in InfraRed on July 1, 2020, InfraRed has broadened SLC Management's suite of alternative investment solutions while also creating the opportunity for InfraRed to access North American investors through our distribution networks.

On February 1, 2023, we completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Advisors Asset Management, Inc. ("AAM"), a leading independent retail distribution firm in the U.S. AAM provides access to U.S. retail distribution for SLC Management, and will allow SLC Management to meet the growing demand for alternative assets among U.S. high-net-worth investors. For additional information, refer to Note 3 of our 2024 Consolidated Financial Statements.

Sun Life Financial Inc. | sunlife.com

3

Annual Information Form 2024

Canada

On October 3, 2023, we completed our acquisition of Dialogue Health Technologies Inc. ("Dialogue"), increasing our ownership interest from 23% (as at December 2021 following an additional investment in Dialogue) to 95% for cash proceeds of

$272 million (for equity not currently owned by Sun Life or rolled by certain members of Dialogue's executive management). Dialogue is a Canadian-based health and wellness virtual care platform and telemedicine provider. Dialogue forms a part of our Canada business segment. For additional information, refer to Note 3 of our 2024 Consolidated Financial Statements.

On February 1, 2023, we completed the sale of the sponsored markets business from Sun Life Assurance to Canadian Premier Life Insurance Company (re-branded to Securian Canada). For additional information, refer to Note 3 of our

2024 Consolidated Financial Statements.

U.S.

On June 1, 2022, we completed the acquisition of DentaQuest Group, Inc. ("DentaQuest"), the second-largest dental benefits provider in the U.S. by membership. The acquisition advances our strategy of being a leader in health and benefits in the U.S. while contributing to fee-based earnings and businesses which generate higher retuon equity. For additional information, refer to Note 3 of our 2022 Consolidated Financial Statements.

Asia

On March 21, 2024, to meet regulatory obligations, we completed the sale of 6.3% of our ownership interest in Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited ("ABSLAMC"). Subsequently, on May 31, 2024, we sold an additional 0.2% of our ownership interest. As a result of the transactions, our ownership interest in ABSLAMC was reduced from 36.5% to 30.0%. For additional information, refer to Note 3 of our 2024 Consolidated Financial Statements.

On September 14, 2023, we announced an increase to our strategic investment in Bowtie Life Insurance Company Limited, Hong Kong's first virtual insurer.

Effective July 1, 2023, we commenced a 15-year exclusive bancassurance partnership in Hong Kong with Dah Sing Bank ("Dah Sing"). Under this partnership, Sun Life is the exclusive provider of life insurance solutions to Dah Sing's retail banking customers, helping to fulfill their savings and protection needs at different life stages. For additional information, refer to Note 3 of our 2024 Consolidated Financial Statements.

On April 5, 2022, we announced a deepening of our bancassurance partnership between PT Sun Life Financial Indonesia ("Sun Life Indonesia"), a subsidiary of SLF Inc., and PT Bank CIMB Niaga Tbk ("CIMB Niaga"). The new agreement makes Sun Life Indonesia the provider of insurance solutions to CIMB Niaga customers through all distribution channels for a term of 15 years starting in January 2025 and extends the term of our existing relationship by six years to 2039. For additional information, refer to Note 3 of our 2022 Consolidated Financial Statements.

UK

On April 3, 2023, we completed the sale of SLF of Canada UK Limited ("Sun Life UK") to Phoenix Group Holdings plc ("Phoenix Group"). We retained our economic interest in Sun Life UK's payout annuities business, which was moved from the Corporate business segment to the U.S. business segment. As part of the sale, we established a long-term partnership to become a strategic asset management partner to Phoenix Group. As a result of the sale, we are no longer subject to the insurance or financial services regulatory regime in the UK. For additional information, refer to Note 3 of our 2024 Consolidated Financial Statements.

Other Developments

On April 8, 2024 Timothy Deacon was appointed as Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Manjit Singh, who was previously appointed as President of Sun Life Asia. William Anderson retired as Chair and from the Board of Directors following the 2022 Annual Meeting and was succeeded as Chair by Scott Powers following his re-election as a director at that meeting.

Sun Life Financial Inc. | sunlife.com

4

Annual Information Form 2024

Business of Sun Life

Information about our business and operating segments, our strategy, products and methods of distribution, risk management policies and investment activities is included in the 2024 MD&A, which is incorporated by reference in this AIF.

The global financial services industry continues to evolve in response to demographic, economic, and technological trends. Specific trends that have an impact on our businesses include:

Demographic

  • Major demographic shifts in developed markets include the aging of baby boomers and the growth of millennials as a client segment. Aging baby boomers are generating greater demand for retirement solutions and health solutions as they retire, contributing to the expansion of the senior market, also referred to as the silver economy. This shift highlights the need to enhance advisor relationships and expertise to support their complex estate planning needs. Meanwhile, millennials also seek holistic financial advice and solutions, including protection and wealth accumulation products in preparation for major life events.
  • The number of High Net Worth Individuals ("HNWI") and their pool of wealth continues to expand. Within this segment, Asia will continue to be the growth engine for HNWI while North America remains the largest market. Opportunities exist for financial service providers as HNWI seek solutions that enable them to optimally transfer wealth to future generations. HNWI will continue to allocate more assets to alternatives in order to generate yield, increase total returns, and enhance diversification. Alternative asset managers are evolving their product and distribution capabilities to serve this heightened demand.
  • Growing prosperity in Asia is resulting in the rise of the young middle class in many Asian countries. Growth of the middle class is expected over the long-term and a larger middle class will increase demand for a wide variety of financial products, including insurance, savings and investment vehicles. Low financial literacy has also increased the importance of financial education and advice in this region. These markets have low penetration rates and are expected to grow much faster than industrialized countries.
  • Consumers are more proactively managing both physical and mental health and wellness, leading to an increased demand for accessible and affordable solutions across their health journey. This has in tuled to increased demand for tools and products to support mental health and well-being. Rising medical costs (especially specialty drugs) highlight the need for strategic differentiation through comprehensive health solutions that aim to close the gaps in care and affordability.
  • Consumers have a heightened interest in sustainability. They are increasingly aligning their buying, investing, and employment decisions with companies that are leaders in sustainability. This has resulted in rising demand for sustainable investments and has influenced how companies invest as part of their investment strategy.
  • Desire for greater transparency and focus on value for money spent on products and services, such as financial advice, has contributed to increased demand for low-cost asset management products, such as index funds.
  • The trend of governments and employers shifting responsibility to individuals continues. This has created demand for protection, group benefits and group retirement solutions as individuals seek to fill the gaps. To help them make some of these decisions, consumers are seeking financial advice and assistance with financial planning.
  • Changes in the nature of work and the continued rise of the gig economy have created new opportunities. With more work becoming temporary, contractual, or project-based, there is a need for solutions that support workers across key life needs such as savings, benefits, and protection.
  • Workforce expectations are also evolving as employees are demanding more holistic offerings including a hybrid and flexible way of working, and an emphasis on health and well-being, values, purpose, and culture. Companies will have to offer a unique value proposition to win and retain top talent. Simultaneously, workforce composition is shifting with Gen Z representing a greater proportion of the workforce, and baby boomer's retiring. Organizations need to focus on preservation of institutional knowledge and bringing in the necessary digital tools to enable the new workforce. There is an increasing emphasis on career development that aligns with employee expectations, helping to ensure a satisfied, skilled, and "future-ready" workforce.

Economic

  • Global economic activity is approaching pre-pandemic levels, but not all markets are recovering at the same rate. The pace of economic recovery will vary significantly across different nations and regions. The growing trend of geo- economic fragmentation has led to deglobalization and an increasing "protectionism" attitude, highlighting the need for resilience and effective scenario planning.
  • While global headline inflation is expected to steadily decline in the coming years from its peak, recent leadership changes in major economies may introduce new economic policies that could impact inflationary trends. Individual and business purchasing power continues to be limited with rising credit risk. Many firms are therefore drawing down cash buffers as earnings moderate and as debt servicing costs continue to be high which may reduce the available capital for some institutions.
  • Inflation and elevated interest rates are leading to changing investor sentiment and strategies. Many investors are looking towards traditional fixed income products given high yields, and others are seeking inflationary protection through inflation-hedged investments or alternatives. Although interest rates are expected to lower in the near-term as inflationary concerns are easing, the ten-year outlook is still projecting a slight increase. However, the underlying

Sun Life Financial Inc. | sunlife.com

5

Annual Information Form 2024

investment thesis remains largely unchanged, with investors continuing to prioritize yield and inflation protection in their portfolio allocations.

  • Equity market volatility, which can be attributed to several factors such as economic growth, higher inflation, and interest rates changes, can lead to impacts on net flows and assets under management for asset management and wealth businesses. Generally, strong global equity market returns tend to result in an increase in earnings for asset management and wealth businesses, as higher market performance drives higher net flows and assets under management.

Technological

  • Digital adoption continues to grow rapidly as consumers spend an increasing amount of time online for everyday needs (e.g., social, shopping, and banking). An increase in mobile usage is an especially important part of this shift. Omni-channel capabilities are also important to create a consistent Client experience across channels and to serve Clients in their channel of choice.
  • Increasing personalization using data and analytics is allowing companies to create a frictionless digital user experience as they can better engage with Clients and meet their needs.
  • Generative AI represents a significant leap in technological innovation, offering organizations unprecedented opportunities to create quicker and more seamless end-to-end Client experiences, and improve employee productivity. It has the potential to dramatically improve select use cases, while offering more incremental improvements across a wide range of applications.
  • Consumers are becoming more concerned about the protection and use of their data in an environment of increasing collection and data use, and more wide-spread data breaches. Meeting those Client concerns and expectations will be key to maintaining their trust and continued digital engagement. Increased adoption of AI also calls for an increased focus on improving cyber security and risk management.
  • A desire for a more transparent and accessible financial services experience has led to the rise of digital currencies, smart contracts, and decentralized finance ("DeFi"). Central Banks and financial institutions are exploring the use of digital currencies which may lead to disruption of the traditional banking sector. Increased demand for DeFi may increase competition from new/existing players, offering more accessible products through new distribution channels.
  • Businesses have accelerated the use of digital technology to allow for remote and hybrid work. Companies may rely more heavily on these digital tools and shift more of their workforce to remote work. This, in turn, may have an impact on the commercial real estate market.

Competition

The markets in which Sun Life participates are highly competitive. We compete against other insurance companies, banks, asset managers, mutual fund companies, financial planners, managed care companies, and other financial services and benefits providers. Frequently, competition is based on factors including price, the ability to provide value-added products and services, financial strength and consistent delivery of an excellent experience to distributors and Clients through both traditional and more innovative digital channels.

Evolving regulatory requirements, economic volatility, rising geopolitical uncertainty and the evolution of Client needs and requirements continue to be challenges for our industry and have forced insurers and financial services providers to review their businesses, re-focus their operations and, in some cases, discontinue or divest non-core lines of business, as well as acquire businesses with higher growth potential. Various factors continue to inform the nature of risks that need to be managed in a global financial institution, spanning from issues such as geopolitical to environmental to cyber. As these risks become more and more understood in the industry, institutions are required to invest increasing resources in resiliency in order to identify and manage against them.

We face increased competition from new market entrants, including non-traditional service providers such as insurtech, healthtech and fintech companies. The acceleration of digital brought by the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in this trend, and a further rise of new market entrants with disruptive digital business models. In addition, incumbents are increasingly partnering with start-ups to compete in new and innovative ways. There is a growing demand for a "one-stop- shop" approach, with competitors enhancing and expanding their Client offerings to attract and retain Clients. These trends could challenge existing insurance, health, asset management and wealth management business models. Furthermore, certain large technology companies have selectively entered the financial services and health care markets by leveraging their large customer base, strong user experience capabilities, deep pools of data and digital ecosystems offering interconnected services. In response to these trends, Sun Life continues to explore new business models and seek strategic partnerships that will drive our businesses forward.

To address these trends, the industry is evolving across several key dimensions:

  • Digitizing current interactions and processes: Leveraging advanced digital platforms to enhance web and mobile functionality, enable virtual interactions, and streamline enrollment and claims process for improved Client and employee experiences.
  • Using data and analytics to be personal, predictive and proactive: Utilizing advanced analytics and AI technologies to anticipate Client needs, enable tailored solutions, and optimize advisor support to drive engagement and retention.

Sun Life Financial Inc. | sunlife.com

6

Annual Information Form 2024

  • Building new business models: Expanding into adjacent markets and ecosystems, embracing health and wellness innovation, and developing digital-first solutions to meet changing Client preferences.
  • Building a partnership ecosystem: Collaborating with technology providers, start-ups, and other innovators to integrate services, scale digital capabilities, and tap into global growth opportunities.

The markets in which we compete are diverse and at different stages of development:

  • In Canada, the financial services industry is relatively mature and the three largest life insurance companies serve more than two-thirds of the Canadian life insurance and group benefits markets. In the wealth space, we face competition from Canadian retail banks and investment dealers and from emerging disruptors such as robo-advisors. From a regulatory perspective, open banking (consumer-driven banking) is emerging slowly as a potential disruptor for banks and other financial institutions. In the health space, we face competition from in-market insurers but also indirect competitors, as companies look for ways to complement the public health system. We are continuing to monitor how these developments will affect the financial services landscape and Sun Life.
  • In the United States, the largest insurance market in the world, the market is more fragmented and characterized by a large number of competitors. We face strong competition from established players in the group life and disability, dental, vision, stop-loss, and voluntary markets, all of which are markets with a number of competitors. In the turnkey disability market, there is one other primary competitor and competition is expected to remain stable.
  • In Asia, the life insurance markets in countries where we participate are still evolving. The growth potential for insurance in Asian markets has created strong competition from both domestic and international insurers. We are observing the larger pan-Asian insurers grow at the fastest rate, with consolidation occurring in many markets. Additionally, some of the Asian markets that we operate in have foreign ownership restrictions, which may place constraints on our ability to operate or grow in these markets. In the international High Net Worth ("HNW") life insurance market (which for Sun Life operates out of our Asia business group), competition is increasing from the main competitors who operate in this business.
  • In Asset Management, despite some consolidation, we face strong competition from a variety of players including large global asset managers, small local managers specializing in niche markets/products, multi-national and local banks as well as other insurance companies. In addition, there has been a trend among retail and institutional investors towards lower-cost passive investment products, including index and other types of exchange-traded funds, which has led to a decreased allocation of investor assets to active investment strategies. At the same time, there has been an increased demand for fixed-income, liability-driven investing and yield-oriented alternative products among institutional and HNW investors. To meet the increased demand for alternative assets, traditional asset managers are increasingly acquiring alternative assets, while alternative managers are deepening focus on the retail HNW market. Lastly, elevated levels of cash position among fund managers, combined with an improving M&A environment, suggest a potential rebound in deal activity that could reshape asset management competition.

Seasonality

Some of our businesses are subject to seasonal factors. In Canada, sales of investment products spike during the first quarter of the year due to a contribution deadline for Registered Retirement Savings Plans. Timing of sales campaigns also influences sales of individual products in Canada and Asia. In the U.S., the sales patteof our Group Benefits business largely reflects the renewal timing of employee benefit plans of our corporate Clients, many of which begin on January 1 each year. This often results in higher sales in the fourth quarter. In India, the sales of individual insurance products usually peak in the first quarter of each year due to tax planning by Clients. Overall, the impact of seasonal trends is not material to Sun Life.

Number of Employees

As at December 31, 2024, we had 31,768 full-time equivalent employees across our operations, excluding joint ventures and associates and temporary staffing.

Business Segment

Employees(1)

Canada

7,556

U.S.

6,584

Asset Management

4,754

Asia

4,205

Corporate(2)

8,669

  1. As at December 31, 2024, we had approximately 66,928 employees across our operations, including our Asia joint ventures and associates and temporary staffing.
  2. Corporate includes employees supporting enterprise operations.

Sun Life Financial Inc. | sunlife.com

7

Annual Information Form 2024

Capital Structure

General

SLF Inc.'s authorized capital consists of unlimited numbers of Common Shares, Class A Shares and Class B Shares, each without nominal or par value.

The Class A Shares and Class B Shares may be issued in series as determined by SLF Inc.'s Board. The Board is authorized to fix the number, consideration per share, designation and rights and restrictions attached to each series of shares. The holders of Class A Shares and Class B Shares are not entitled to any voting rights except as described below or as otherwise provided by law. Additional information concerning our capital structure is included in SLF Inc.'s 2024 MD&A under the heading Capital and Liquidity Management and in Notes 12-14 and 20 to the 2024 Consolidated Financial Statements.

Common Shares

SLF Inc.'s Common Shares are listed on the Toronto, New York and Philippines stock exchanges, under the ticker symbol "SLF". Each Common Share is entitled to one vote at meetings of the shareholders of SLF Inc., except for meetings at which only holders of another specified class or series of shares are entitled to vote separately as a class or series.

Common Shares are entitled to receive dividends if and when declared by the Board. Dividends must be declared and paid in equal amounts per share on all Common Shares, subject to the rights of holders of the Class A Shares and Class B Shares. Holders of Common Shares will participate in any distribution of the net assets of SLF Inc. upon its liquidation, dissolution or winding-up on an equal basis per share, subject to the rights of the holders of the Class A Shares and Class B Shares. There are no pre-emptive, redemption, purchase or conversion rights attaching to the Common Shares.

Class A Shares

The Class A Shares of each series rank on parity with the Class A Shares of each other series with respect to the payment of dividends and the retuof capital on the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of SLF Inc. The Class A Shares are entitled to preference over the Class B Shares, the Common Shares and any other shares ranking junior to the Class A Shares with respect to the payment of dividends and the retuof capital. The special rights and restrictions attaching to the Class A Shares as a class may not be amended without such approval as may then be required by law, subject to a minimum requirement of approval by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast at a meeting of the holders of Class A Shares held for that purpose.

The following table provides information on SLF Inc.'s issued and outstanding Class A Shares (the "Class A Preferred Shares"). These Class A Preferred Shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX"), with the exception of Series 14.

Series

Number of

TSX Ticker

Quarterly

Redemption Date

Prospectus Date

Shares Issued

Symbol

Dividend ($)

Series 3

10,000,000

SLF.PR.C

0.278125

Any time

January 6, 2006

Series 4

12,000,000

SLF.PR.D

0.278125

Any time

October 2, 2006

Series 5

10,000,000

SLF.PR.E

0.28125

Any time

January 25, 2007

Series 8R

6,217,331

SLF.PR.G

0.114063

June 30, 2025

May 13, 2010

Series 9QR

4,982,669

SLF.PR.J

Floating

June 30, 2025

May 13, 2010

Series 10R

6,838,672

SLF.PR.H

0.185438

September 30, 2026

August 5, 2011

Series 11QR

1,161,328

SLF.PR.K

Floating

September 30, 2026

August 5, 2011

Series 14

1,000,000

n.a.

n.a.

June 30, 2026

June 24, 2021

With the exception of Series 14, the shares in each series of Class A Preferred Shares were issued for $25 per share and holders are entitled to receive the non-cumulative quarterly dividends outlined in the preceding table. Subject to regulatory approval, SLF Inc. may redeem: (i) the Series 3, 4 or 5 shares at any time; (ii) the Series 8R, 9QR, 10R and 11QR on the redemption date noted above and every five years thereafter for $25 per share; and (iii) the Series 9QR and 11QR at any other time for $25.50 per share, in each case in whole or in part. The Series 14 shares were issued as part of the offering of 3.60% Limited Recourse Capital Notes Series 2021-1 (the "Series 2021-1 Notes"), for $1,000 per share and are held by a consolidated trust (the "Limited Recourse Trust") as trust assets in connection with the Series 2021-1 Notes. Series 2021-1 Notes are classified as equity in SLF Inc.'s 2024 Consolidated Financial Statements. In case of non-payment of interest on or principal of the Series 2021-1 Notes when due, the recourse of each noteholder will be limited to that holder's proportionate share of the Limited Recourse Trust's assets, which will consist of the Series 14 shares (except in limited circumstances). At this time the limited recourse trustee, as trustee of the Limited Recourse Trust, has waived its right to receive any and all dividends on the Series 14 shares. Accordingly, no dividends are expected to be declared or paid on the Series 14 shares while the Series 14 shares are held by the Limited Recourse Trust. Additional information concerning these shares is contained in the Investor Relations section of www.sunlife.comand in the prospectus and prospectus supplement under which the shares were issued, which may be accessed at www.sedarplus.ca.

Sun Life Financial Inc. | sunlife.com

8

Annual Information Form 2024

Class B Shares

The Class B Shares of each series rank on a parity with the Class B Shares of each other series with respect to the payment of dividends and the retuof capital on the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of SLF Inc. The Class B Shares are entitled to preference over the Common Shares and any other shares ranking junior to the Class B Shares with respect to the payment of dividends and the retuof capital, but are subordinate to the Class A Shares and any other shares ranking senior to the Class B Shares with respect to the payment of dividends and retuof capital. The special rights and restrictions attaching to the Class B Shares as a class may not be amended without such approval as may then be required by law, subject to a minimum requirement of approval by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the votes cast at a meeting of the holders of Class B Shares held for that purpose. No Class B Shares have been issued.

Constraints on Shares

The Insurance Act contains restrictions on the purchase or other acquisition, issue, transfer and voting of the shares of SLF Inc. and Sun Life Assurance. Information on those restrictions can be found in this AIF under the heading Regulatory Matters - Canada - Restrictions on Ownership.

Market for Securities

The following tables set out the price range and trading volumes of SLF Inc.'s Common Shares and Class A Preferred Shares on the TSX during 2024:

Common Shares

Price ($)

Trading volume

High

Low

Close

(thousands)

January

70.38

67.29

69.69

26,566

February

74.80

68.43

72.08

56,829

March

74.94

72.02

73.91

43,863

April

73.89

68.91

70.29

25,182

May

73.50

67.22

68.31

63,310

June

68.59

64.60

67.08

52,775

July

69.73

66.53

68.54

30,162

August

74.09

64.38

73.46

59,468

September

78.85

73.33

78.45

39,760

October

79.45

76.80

77.20

29,514

November

86.79

77.10

86.17

66,538

December

88.54

83.76

85.35

39,669

Class A Preferred Shares

Series 3

Price ($)

Trading volume

High

Low

Close

(thousands)

Series 4

Price ($)

Trading volume

High

Low

Close

(thousands)

January

19.50

18.28

19.16

60

19.29

17.99

19.08

103

February

19.60

18.93

19.02

39

19.38

18.83

18.97

100

March

19.10

17.80

18.90

81

19.06

18.62

18.84

62

April

19.01

17.69

17.94

100

18.94

17.50

17.88

145

May

19.30

17.91

19.00

140

19.32

17.86

19.01

189

June

19.25

18.35

19.25

128

19.21

18.35

19.20

392

July

19.85

18.95

19.81

144

19.77

18.89

19.75

144

August

21.06

19.73

20.56

73

20.87

19.57

20.54

115

September

21.10

20.38

20.92

51

22.35

20.21

20.78

318

October

21.08

20.14

20.14

135

20.80

20.01

20.02

79

November

20.50

19.70

20.05

122

20.28

19.50

19.89

135

December

20.91

19.78

20.14

63

20.64

19.80

20.21

126

Sun Life Financial Inc. | sunlife.com

9

Attachments

  • Original document
  • Permalink

Disclaimer

Sun Life Financial Inc. published this content on February 12, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on February 12, 2025 at 22:47:58.840.

Older

Earnings news release (pa e q424 earnings)

Newer

NC yanks incentives for Charlotte-area firms that had pledged $200M investment, 900 jobs

Advisor News

  • Take advantage of the exploding $800B IRA rollover market
  • Study finds more households move investable assets across firms
  • Could workplace benefits help solve America’s long-term care gap?
  • The best way to use a tax refund? Create a holistic plan
  • CFP Board appoints K. Dane Snowden as CEO
More Advisor News

Annuity News

  • Court fines Cutter Financial $100,000, requires client notice of guilty verdict
  • KBRA Releases Research – Private Credit: From Acquisitions to Partnerships—Asset Managers’ Growing Role With Life/Annuity Insurers
  • $80k surrender charge at stake as Navy vet, Ameritas do battle in court
  • Sammons Institutional Group® Launches Summit LadderedSM
  • Protective Expands Life & Annuity Distribution with Alfa Insurance
More Annuity News

Health/Employee Benefits News

  • Florida Blue expands cancer support for Medicare Advantage members
  • Data from Stanford University Provide New Insights into Managed Care (The environmental chemical exposome and health insurance: Examining associations and effect modification of epigenetic aging in a representative sample of United States adults): Managed Care
  • National Center for HIV Researcher Details Research in Health Insurance (Behavioral Readiness for Daily Oral PrEP in a Diverse Sample of Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men who have Sex with Men Who Have Not Been Offered PrEP by a Provider): Health Insurance
  • When health insurance costs more than the mortgage
  • Farmers Now Owe a Lot More for Health Insurance
More Health/Employee Benefits News

Life Insurance News

  • John Hancock looks to new AI underwriting tool to slash processing time
  • AllianzIM Buffered ETF Suite Expands with Launch of International Fund
  • Author Sherida Stevens's New Audiobook, “INDEXED UNIVERSAL LIFE INSURANCE IN ACTION: FROM PROTECTION TO PROSPERITY – YOUR PATH TO FINANCIAL SECURITY,” is Released
  • AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Etiqa General Insurance Berhad
  • Life insurance application activity hits record growth in 2025, MIB reports
Sponsor
More Life Insurance News

- Presented By -

Top Read Stories

More Top Read Stories >

NEWS INSIDE

  • Companies
  • Earnings
  • Economic News
  • INN Magazine
  • Insurtech News
  • Newswires Feed
  • Regulation News
  • Washington Wire
  • Videos

FEATURED OFFERS

Elevate Your Practice with Pacific Life
Taking your business to the next level is easier when you have experienced support.

LIMRA’s Distribution and Marketing Conference
Attend the premier event for industry sales and marketing professionals

Get up to 1,000 turning 65 leads
Access your leads, plus engagement results most agents don’t see.

What if Your FIA Cap Didn’t Reset?
CapLock™ removes annual cap resets for clearer planning and fewer surprises.

Press Releases

  • Prosperity Life Group appoints industry veteran Rona Guymon as President, Retail Life and Annuity
  • Financial Independence Group Marks 50 Years of Growth, Innovation, and Advisor Support
  • Buckner Insurance Names Greg Taylor President of Idaho
  • ePIC Services Company and WebPrez Announce Exclusive Strategic Relationship; Carter Wilcoxson Appointed President of WebPrez
  • Agent Review Announces Major AI & AIO Platform Enhancements for Consumer Trust and Agent Discovery
More Press Releases > Add Your Press Release >

How to Write For InsuranceNewsNet

Find out how you can submit content for publishing on our website.
View Guidelines

Topics

  • Advisor News
  • Annuity Index
  • Annuity News
  • Companies
  • Earnings
  • Fiduciary
  • From the Field: Expert Insights
  • Health/Employee Benefits
  • Insurance & Financial Fraud
  • INN Magazine
  • Insiders Only
  • Life Insurance News
  • Newswires
  • Property and Casualty
  • Regulation News
  • Sponsored Articles
  • Washington Wire
  • Videos
  • ———
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Editorial Staff
  • Newsletters

Top Sections

  • AdvisorNews
  • Annuity News
  • Health/Employee Benefits News
  • InsuranceNewsNet Magazine
  • Life Insurance News
  • Property and Casualty News
  • Washington Wire

Our Company

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Meet our Editorial Staff
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Write for INN

Sign up for our FREE e-Newsletter!

Get breaking news, exclusive stories, and money- making insights straight into your inbox.

select Newsletter Options
Facebook Linkedin Twitter
© 2026 InsuranceNewsNet.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • InsuranceNewsNet Magazine

Sign in with your Insider Pro Account

Not registered? Become an Insider Pro.
Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet